TB Outbreak Hits Posh SF Private School

Events canceled, masks recommended as officials work to contain spread

Jan. 29, 2026 at 12:31am by Ben Kaplan

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A tuberculosis outbreak has struck Archbishop Riordan High School, a ritzy private Catholic school in San Francisco where tuition costs $28,000 per year. At least three people have been confirmed to have active cases of the bacterial lung infection, prompting health officials to order all 1,500 students and staff to undergo TB testing by February 20 or be barred from campus.

Why it matters

Tuberculosis is highly contagious in closed settings like schools, raising concerns about the potential for the outbreak to spread rapidly through the school community. The high-profile nature of this outbreak at an elite private school is also drawing attention to public health challenges in wealthy enclaves.

The details

The first case was detected in mid-November, leading to initial testing of the entire student body. Two more cases have since been confirmed, forcing health officials to reset the investigation and require the entire school community to be re-screened. The school has canceled events like basketball games and recommended that people wear masks to help contain the spread.

  • The first case was detected in mid-November 2025.
  • All students and staff must undergo TB testing by February 20, 2026.

The players

Archbishop Riordan High School

A private Catholic high school in San Francisco where tuition costs $28,000 per year.

Dr. Monica Gandhi

An infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco who called a three-case cluster at a single high school 'really bad.'

Tim Reardon

The president of Archbishop Riordan High School, who said the school will take 'every measure available' to ensure safety.

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What they’re saying

“'It's quite easily transmitted in closed settings, and none of us are immune in the United States.'”

— Dr. Monica Gandhi, Infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco (SFGATE)

“'Everybody's kind of around everybody. All of us have to get tests.'”

— Alejandro Rosales, Junior at Archbishop Riordan High School (KTVU)

“'We will take every measure available to ensure the safety and wellbeing of faculty, staff, students, and their families, and we are committed to providing frequent, consistent updates to members of the Riordan community.'”

— Tim Reardon, President of Archbishop Riordan High School (KTVU)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This outbreak highlights the challenges of containing highly contagious diseases like tuberculosis in close-knit school communities, even at elite private institutions. It raises questions about public health preparedness and the potential for outbreaks to spread rapidly in wealthy enclaves.